(a)
The center shall seek to fulfill its mission and improve the capacity of teachers, education specialists, and school administrators to close gaps in academic achievement through both of the following:
(1)
Strengthening professional preparation on effective instructional practices, effective school leadership practices, effective local educational agency leadership practices, and the use of data and continuous improvement strategies.
(2)
Serving local educational agencies as a clearinghouse for evidence-based strategies and promising practices for closing academic achievement gaps.
(b)
In addition to its duties
pursuant to subdivision (a), the center shall also do all of the following:
(1)
Engage in and disseminate research on evidence-based strategies and promising practices to close academic achievement gaps.
(2)
Develop and disseminate tools and resources to implement evidence-based strategies for closing academic achievement gaps.
(3)
Document and promote effective practices used in higher performing, high-poverty schools and local educational agencies.
(c)
The center shall operate in partnership with the State Department of Education, the State Board of Education, the California Collaborative for Education Excellence, each county office of education engaged in assisting schools as part of the statewide system of support, established pursuant to Section
52059.5, and the University of California.
(d)
(1)
On or before January 30 of the year following the first full year of operation, and on or before January 30 annually thereafter, the center shall submit to the Legislature a report prepared by a third party evaluating the support provided to local educational agencies by the center during the previous year.
(2)
The report specified in paragraph (1) shall be submitted pursuant to Section 9795 of the Government Code.
(e)
The center shall be established no later than one year after an appropriation is made for the purposes of this section by the Legislature.
